Machine for leveling coke-oven charges.



W. B MORGAN, L- W. HUBBARTT & J. H WIRTS.. MACHINE FOR LEVBLING COKE OVEN CHARGES. APPLICATION rush MAR. 28,1908.

7 903,604. Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

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W. B MORGAN, L. W'. 'HUBBARTTKF J. H. WIRTS.

MACHINE FOR LEVELING COKE OVEN CHARGES,

APPLIOATIQN FILED MAR. 28, 1908.

903,604. Patented Nov. 10,1908.

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W. B vMORGAN. L. W. HUBB'A'RTT & J H. WIRTS. MACHINE FOR LEVBLING 00KB OVEN CHARGES.

Arrm'onmn FILED MAR. 2a, 1908. 903,604. Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

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UNITED STATES PATENT WILLIAM BASIL MORGAN, LAWSON WALLACE HUBBARTT, AND JAMES HERMAN WIRTS, OF TRINIDAD, COLORADO.

MACHINE FOR LEVELING COKE-OVEN CHARGES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

Application filed March 28, 1908. Serial No. 423,927.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM B. MORGAN, LAWSON W. HUBBARTT, and JAMES H. VIRTS, citizens of the United States, residing at Trinidad, in the county of Las Animas, State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Machine for Leveling Coke- Oven Charges, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for leveling coke oven charges, and its object is to provide a means whereby a charge of coal introduced into an oven of the beehive type may be leveled off ready for firing. In ovens of this type it is customary to introduce the coal or material to be coked through a charging opening in the crown of the oven and the coal is therefore deposited in a more or less conical heap. For the best burning, the coal should be approximately level and the device forming the subjectmatter of the present invention is designed to be introduced through one of the side openings or doors of the oven and then to act in such a manner as to level the coal and make it of practically the same depth all over the floor of the oven.

The invention comprises a suitable support or truck movable upon a track or other guideway designed to be laid in operative relation to a series of ovens, and upon this truck is mounted a structure carrying an arm capable of horizontal movement so as to be inserted into or withdrawn from an oven through one of the openings or door ways therein, and the arm is provided with a rotatable member so constructed as to engage the pile of coal within the furnace and distribute the same toward the walls of the furnace, thereby causing the depth of the charge to be substantially even throughout.

In accordance with the present invention provision is made for the introduction of the leveling mechanism into and out of the oven by the longitudinal movement of the horizontal support, which movement may be accomplished by hand-operated mechanism, if so desired. Also the height of the leveling mechanism is made adjustable by hand-op erated means if so desired, while a prime mover, preferably an electric motor carried on a truck supporting the other structures and adapted to move upon the track, may be used for the propulsion of the truck and for imparting rotative movement to the leveling structure.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which drawings- Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section and partly broken away, of the structure with the parts in about the relation they would assume when in operative relation to the interior of the coke oven. Fig. 2 is an elevation at right angles to that shown in Fig. 1, also with parts broken away and in section, the elevation being on that side of the structure remote from the parts introducible into the coke oven. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the leveling mechanism. Fig. at is an enlarged detail section of the free end of the support for the leveler.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a truck 1, which may be of ordinary construction except that all springs are omitted, and this truck is mounted upon two pairs of wheels 2, 8, supported upon axles 4-, 5, respectively, suitably journaled in the truck. The wheels 2, 3 are adapted to track rails 6 laid along the ground in proper operative relation to a series of coke ovens, which latter, however, are not shown in the drawings, but are assumed to be of the familiar beehive type without regard to their particular structure. Rising from each corner of the truck is a bar 6 which may be made of angle or tee iron, and the upper ends of these several bars 6' are gathered together and secured to a head 7 so that the frame-work mounted upon the truck is substantially pyramidal. Mounted on the head 7 is a trolley pole 8 having at its free end a trolley wheel 9 arranged to underride an overhead conductor 10 in the usual manner. The trolley pole isunder the control ofthe usual springs 11. Current is conducted from the trolley wheel 9 in any suitable manner, and one means is conventionally shown in the drawings as in the form of a flexible conductor 11 leading to a controller, box 12 mounted upon the truck and provided with the usual controller lever 13 so that the controller box may be manipulated, as is customary. Also mounted on the truck are two opposed uprights 14E spaced apart and provided at the upper end with guideways 15 the frame '16 may be vertically adjusted may be used. Mounted in this frame is a horizontal beam 21 so arranged as to slide longitudinally therein. This beam may consist of side members 22 joined by crown spacing members 23 disposed at suitably frequent intervals; Thisbeam 21 may be so constructed as to slide easily through the frame 16. One or both members 22 of the beam 21 may have the upper face for a suitable distance formed with ratchet teeth 24, in the path of which is a pawl 25' pivotally supported on the frame 16. The beam 21 is balanced by means of a cable 26 connected to an eye 27 or otherwise near the free end of the beam and carried upward to a drum or pulley 28 mounted on a shaft 29 journaled in brackets 30 fast on the bars 6. This shaft may carry at a convenient point another drum 30 upon which is wound a cable 31 carrying at its free end a suitable number or amount of weights 32 sufficient to act as a counterpoise to the beam 21. Also attached to the beam 21 is another rope or cable 33carried downward to and around a drum 34 mounted on a shaft 35 journaled in the uprights 14and provided with a crank handle 36 and a suitable ratchet wheel 37 in the path of the teeth of which is a pawl 38. After passing around the drum 34 a suitable number of times the cable 33 is carried up to the rear end of the beam 21 and is there secured. By a suitable manipu lation of the handle 36 with the pawl 38 disengaged from the ratchet 37 the beam 21 may be moved longitudinally through the frame 16 it being understood that the pawl 25 is also disengaged from the teeth 24. When the desired degree of adjustment is effected,then the pawls 25 and 38 are brought into engagement with the rack-teeth 24 and ratchet 37, respectively, and rearward movement of the beam 21 is thereby prevented.

When it is desired to project the beam in the direction of its free end it is of course unnecessary to disengage the pawls, but the latter must be disengaged whenever it is desired to retract the beam. When the beam 21 is adjusted to its various positions it is kept substantially level by the counterweights 32. At the outer end of the beam 21 there is formed ahead 39 best shown in Fig. 4. This head carries an upright shaft 40 capable of rotating in a suitable bearing 41 in the head 39, and the upper end of the shaft is sustained by a block 43 through which the shaft extends and in which it is freely rotatable. The block 43 extends to one side of the shaft and there receives a pin 44 on one end of a rod 45 extending through a threaded opening formed in a block 46 at the end of the arm 21 and either partially seated in the head 39, as shown, or it may be wholly seated therein. WVhen the rod 45 is rotatedin the proper direction it is elevated because the end passing through the block 46 is screw-threaded, as shown at 47, and when this rod is elevated it carries with it the block 43, and the shaft 40 participates in this movement. The pin 44 is held to the block by suitable nuts 48 so that when the rod 45 is turned in the proper direction the threaded end 47 is screwed down to the block 46 and the shaft 40 will be forced to participate in the said movement.

Fast on the rod 45 is a sprocket wheel 49 around which is passed a sprocket chain 50 leading to another sprocket wheel 51 mounted 'in a short shaft 52 on the frame 16 and provided with a crank handle 53 by means of which the shaft 52 and its sprocket wheel 51 may be rotated. Under these circum stances, the sprocket wheel 49 is likewise 1'0- tated and the shaft 45 is elevated or depressed by being screwed into or out of the block 46.

Fast on the shaft 40 within the head 39 is a sprocket wheel 54'engaged by a sprocket chain 55 extending through the beam 21 to a sprocket-wheel 56 on a shaft 57 extending down through the frame 16 and through the V Mounted in the truck 1 at any suitable 7 point is an electric motor 59. This motor is shown as mounted between the axles 4 and 5, but of course it is apparent that it may be mounted at any other convenient point. The shaft 60 of the armature of the motor may carry at each end a bevel pinion 61 and 62, respectively, and these bevel gear wheels 61 and 62 may be loose upon the shaft. The

'bevel wheel 61 is in mesh with the bevel wheel 58, while the bevel gear wheel 62 is in mesh with another bevel gear wheel 63' mounted on the axle 5. The bevel gear 61 may be coupled to the armature-shaft by means of a clutch 64 conveniently shown in the drawings and under the control of the forked end 65 of a lever 66 having its handled end within easy reach of an operator for the controller 12. The lever 66 is held in any position of adjustment by means of a rack segment 67 and thumb pawl 68. Adjacent to the lever 66 is another lever 69 held in adjusted positions by a rack segment 70 and thumb pawl 71. This lever is suitably pivoted and has a forked end 7 2 in operative relation to a clutch member? 3 for coupling the bevel gear 62 to the armature shaft 60.

By means of the controller 12 and the two levers 6 and 69 it will be seen that the motor may be made to drive the truck along the rails 6 at any desired speed within the limits of the mechanism, and when the proper position is reached the motor may be uncoupled from the axle and coupled up to the shaft 57 so as to impart rotative movement to the sprocket-wheel 56 and from thence by the sprocket chain 55 to the shaft 4L0.

The lower end of the shaft 40 carries a spreader 7 L consisting of two oppositely curved arms 7 5 disposed oppositely with relation to the shaft 40. These arms are forwardly curved and end in forks 76 be tween which is secured the shaft 77 of a leveler head 78, the free end of which latter may or may not be toothed, but in the drawings suitable teeth 79 are shown. The heads 7 are secured in place by bolts 80 or otherwise.

No attempt is made in the drawings to show proportions with any degree of accuracy since the proportions must needs vary under varying conditions and in order that the parts may be clearly shown it is necessary to somewhat exaggerate some of the structures.

Let it be assumed that the parts are in the retracted position and that it is desirable to level charges which have already been inserted in coke ovens preparatory to firing the same. The motor is energized and coupled up to the truck so as to propel the latter in front of the oven upon which it is designed to operate. The rods 17 are suitably manipulated to raise the frame 16 and beam 21 to its uppermost position, it being understood that the cable 33 may be slack enough to permit this operation. The countetweight 32 will take up any slack thus pr duced in the cable 26. Assuming that the beam 21 is in alinement with the door of a coke oven and the spreader 74 is in substantial alinement with the beam 21, and by a manipulation of the crank 53 the spreader has been elevated to its uppermost position with relation to the beam 21, then the crank 36 may be turned in the proper direction to project the beam 21 with the spreader 74 through the coke oven door or opening into the interior of the coke oven. Now, the motor is coupled upto the shaft 57 and rotative movement is imparted to the shaft 40, which rotative movement is participated in by the spreader 7 4, the movement of course being in the' right direction. Now, by again manipulating the crank 53 the spreader 74 may be slowly moved downward while the pyramidal pile of coal is leveled off by the rotative movement of the spreader, and because of its shape the spreader will direct the higher mass of coal at the center toward the side wall of the oven. During this operation the beam 21 may be lowered by suitable manipulation of the rods 17 until finally the pile of coal has been leveled off to the desired degree. After this has been accomplished the spreader is put in alinement with the beam 21 and the whole structure may be removed from the oven through the door of the same after the pawls 25 and 38 have been moved into inoperative position. The entire structure may then be moved to the next coke oven and the operation repeated.

It is to be observed that the pawl 25-or pawls 25, ifmore than one be used, will prevent any retrograde movement of the beam 21 while the leveler is in operation and the pawl 38 will aid in sustaining the outer end of the beam when the latter is projected and acts as an adjunct to the counterweights.

IVhat is claimed is 1. In an apparatus for leveling charges in coke ovens, a traveling carrier or truck, a prime mover on said truck, a substantially horizontal beam carried by the truck and capable of being moved longitudinally in a substantially horizontal plane, means for ele vating and depressing the beam, while maintaining the same in a substantially horizontal position, a rotatable leveler carried by the beam, means for imparting rotative movement from the truck to the leveler, and means operable from the truck for elevating and depressing the leveler with relation to the beam.

2. In an apparatus for leveling charges in coke ovens, a substantially horizontal beam, and means for supporting the same, a counter-weight carried by the support for the beam and connected to and acting on the free end of said beam, and means for causing the longitudinal movement of the beam without tilting the same, comprising a winch mechanism on the carrier for the beam, and connections from each end of the beam to said winch mechanism, and operating in opposite directions.

3. In an apparatus for leveling charges in coke ovens, a substantially horizontalbeam, means for supporting the same, acounter- Weight carried by the support for the beam and connected to and acting on the free end of said beam, and means for causing the longitudinal movement of the beam comprising a winch mechanism on the carrier for the beam, connections from each end of the beam to said winch mechanism, operating in opposite directions, andmeans for preventing 'retraction of the beam when in operation! 4. In an apparatus for leveling charges in coke ovens, a substantially horizontal beam, means for supporting the same, a counterweight acting on the free end of said beam,

- rections, means for preventing retraction of the beam When in operation, comprising ratchet teeth formed on the beam, and a detent or detents engaging saidratchet teeth and preventing retrograde movement of the beam.

5. In an apparatus for leveling charges in coke ovens, a substantially horizontal beam capable of longitudinal movement, a rotatable leveler carried by one end of the beam, means for imparting rotative movement to theleveler and for moving the leveler to and from the beam, said means being operable from a distance from the leveler end of the beam, and a support for the other end of the beam, comprising a frame through which the beam is capable of sliding, a support for the frame in Which the latter is movable at right angles to the longitudinal movement of the beam, and means for imparting movement to the frame.

6. In an apparatus for leveling charges in coke ovens, a beam capable of longitudinal in the direction a rotatable leveler carried by one end of the beam, means for adjusting the leveler to and from the beam in the direction of its axis of rotation, comprising a shaft supporting the rotatable leveler, a block in which the shaft is journaled, a screw support forthe block, and means extending to the end of the beam remote from the leveler for permitting the actuation of the vadjusting means for the leveler.

8. In an apparatus for leveling charges in coke ovens, a horizontally movable beam, and a rotatable leveler carried by said beam and comprising oppositely-extending curved arms each terminating in a removable head.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own, We have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM BASIL MORGAN. LAWSON WALLACE HUBBARTT. JAMES HERMAN WIRTS.

l/Vitnesses FRED BURKI-IARD, JACOB A. SLIFES. 

